For the last three weeks or so, I have watched with incredulity, amusement and then sadness, the events that have unfolded over a book titled "The Jewel of Medina", which has been written by Sherry Jones. It has dragged on a bit, and reached a level that I just thought I should let out some of my hot air a bit.

The book is a fictional piece based on the story of the Islamic Prophet Mohammed's child bride. Now, this is a book that Random House (the publisher) paid a $100,000 advance on, but they were forced to pull the plug on it when they were advised that there was likely to be reprisals by a section of Muslims who would be offended by the book. It was stated that the book was likely to incite some muslims to violence and the outrage that would likely follow its publication has been said to be more serious than when Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses" was published in the 1980s and the quite recent Danish cartoon of the Islamic prophet.

Quite rightly, Random House has come under heavy criticism from various quarters for its decision, and just today, US literary prize the Langum Charitable Trust has said that it will refuse to consider titles from Random House US for its $1,000 awards until "The Jewel of Medina" is published. This may be a token gesture, but I think it is a step in the right direction.

The Question is: For how long will we have to endure this one sided censorship and thread around muslims on egg shells?

I agree with Andrew Franklin's summation when he said "I just think publishers should uphold the principle of free speech – editorial judgement is very important, but free speech is sacred, without it we should give up and go home."

Thank goodness that the Danish publishers of the book are forging ahead with its publication. The author is very disappointed with Random House's decision and hopes to find another publisher in English for the book. She has already finished its sequel and has been quite blasé about terrorist threats, saying that she was "more afraid of global warming than of terrorist attacks".

I say Atta girl. I look forward to reading the book if it oes make it to the shelves of Waterstones or WH Smith. With all this publicity, hopefully the book would sell by the bucket loads. I am sick and tired of being dictated to by a small violent group of ignorant people, who use the slightest irrational whim to spread death and terror.

What say you all?

This thing na old news, in more ways than one.

I do not recall saying that it was breaking news.

@SMC: « on: Today at 12:12:05 AM »

For the last three weeks or so, I have watched with incredulity, amusement and then sadness, the events that have unfolded over a book titled "The Jewel of Medina", which has been written by Sherry Jones. It has dragged on a bit, and reached a level that I just thought I should let out some of my hot air a bit.

The book is a fictional piece based on the story of the Islamic Prophet Mohammed's child bride. Now, this is a book that Random House (the publisher) paid a $100,000 advance on, but they were forced to pull the plug on it when they were advised that there was likely to be reprisals by a section of Muslims who would be offended by the book. It was stated that the book was likely to incite some muslims to violence and the outrage that would likely follow its publication has been said to be more serious than when Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses" was published in the 1980s and the quite recent Danish cartoon of the Islamic prophet.

Quite rightly, Random House has come under heavy criticism from various quarters for its decision, and just today, US literary prize the Langum Charitable Trust has said that it will refuse to consider titles from Random House US for its $1,000 awards until "The Jewel of Medina" is published. This may be a token gesture, but I think it is a step in the right direction.

And i have not heard any book penned by muslims to down Christian or Jewish Prophet(s). Why are the non muslims so interested in the life of the muslim prophet (AS), concerning what is about his cultural identity over 14 centuries, ago? Could I even in today's New York City idea of what people in their 50s are doing as a parallel to that of 500 years ago? Today's people in their 50s are acting as if they are in their 30s. I know I am. Should I run away from a soffisticated and very matured 20s year old woman?

The case of prophet Muhammad was very spiritual as well as continuing to apply in today's conditions: Tell me, do you know the exact year that Aisha, the so called child bride was born? Was it before the revelation began or after? Was it before her father became a muslim or after? We must not forget that she was engaged to be married to another man, before her father became a muslim. How old was she before the first engagement was dissolved/withdrawn? What year did her father became a muslim, using the year of the first revelation as the first year? Please let us know if you know her age when her father became a muslim and how many years after that they remained in Makka before going to Madina? All of these are true facts that you and all the seekers of truth should know, first before we start to throw muds. I will be waiting for your response SMC.

The Question is: For how long will we have to endure this one sided censorship and thread around muslims on egg shells?

In america, there is something calls, "your mama jokes." NO one, including black and white elites, that includes George Bush, will stand around as a gentleman, not reacting in the appropriate crude fashion, if anyone dare talks about his mama! Now consider Muhammad to be at least the mama joke ofthe muslims. Infact he, the prophet is higher anybody's mama. Freedom of speech stops way before it gets to your mama jokes. If you do not react to mama jokes, at least be unhappy about it. The muslims are all unhappy about it. Some lash out because the tellers of your mama jokes in these cases are all from the other camps. None of them is a muslim. But we the muslims, rightfully so have not said anything bad about any of your so called prophets. You should now copy the muslims in this wise. This is wisdom, which you and others have arrogantly ignored, while you cry for your perverted freedom.

I agree with Andrew Franklin's summation when he said "I just think publishers should uphold the principle of free speech – editorial judgement is very important, but free speech is sacred, without it we should give up and go home."

Thank goodness that the Danish publishers of the book are forging ahead with its publication. The author is very disappointed with Random House's decision and hopes to find another publisher in English for the book. She has already finished its sequel and has been quite blasé about terrorist threats, saying that she was "more afraid of global warming than of terrorist attacks".

I say Atta girl. I look forward to reading the book if it oes make it to the shelves of Waterstones or WH Smith. With all this publicity, hopefully the book would sell by the bucket loads. I am sick and tired of being dictated to by a small violent group of ignorant people, who use the slightest irrational whim to spread death and terror.

What say you all?

I say free speech my a_ _, especially when you have not regards for the freedom of others! Is this your way of freedom, when you only see from your small viewfinder, ignoring other peoples? This is freakingly sick. The muslims should challenge the author to present the evidence of the age of the so called child bride. I have challenged you to research her age. You will see that she is not child, considering that the Jews, the christians human lords celebrate maturity at 13 years. Was Aisha at least 13 in the second year of the Hijra? I say yes and yes and yes. I say she was about 19 or 20. Lets get to it. I already left you with many questions, please answer them. There you will find the truth.

For the last three weeks or so, I have watched with incredulity, amusement and then sadness, the events that have unfolded over a book titled "The Jewel of Medina", which has been written by Sherry Jones. It has dragged on a bit, and reached a level that I just thought I should let out some of my hot air a bit.

The book is a fictional piece based on the story of the Islamic Prophet Mohammed's child bride. Now, this is a book that Random House (the publisher) paid a $100,000 advance on, but they were forced to pull the plug on it when they were advised that there was likely to be reprisals by a section of Muslims who would be offended by the book. It was stated that the book was likely to incite some muslims to violence and the outrage that would likely follow its publication has been said to be more serious than when Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses" was published in the 1980s and the quite recent Danish cartoon of the Islamic prophet.

Quite rightly, Random House has come under heavy criticism from various quarters for its decision, and just on Saturday 30/08/08, US literary prize the Langum Charitable Trust has said that it will refuse to consider titles from Random House US for its $1,000 awards until "The Jewel of Medina" is published. This may be a token gesture, but I think it is a step in the right direction.

The Question is: For how long will we have to endure this one sided censorship and continue threading around muslims on egg shells?

I agree with Andrew Franklin's summation when he said "I just think publishers should uphold the principle of free speech – editorial judgement is very important, but free speech is sacred, without it we should give up and go home."

Thank goodness that the Danish publishers of the book are forging ahead with its publication. The author is very disappointed with Random House's decision and hopes to find another publisher in English for the book. She has already finished its sequel and has been quite blasé about terrorist threats, saying that she was "more afraid of global warming than of terrorist attacks".

I say Atta girl. I look forward to reading the book if it oes make it to the shelves of Waterstones or WH Smith. With all this publicity, hopefully the book would sell by the bucket loads. I am sick and tired of being dictated to by a small violent group of ignorant people, who use the slightest irrational whim to spread death and terror.

What say you all?

@ Seun, This is a thread regarding a book and though it relates to Islam, it is the freedom of expression (especially in the print media) that is in contention and not the form of the Islamic religion, so please do not move it to the Islamic childboard.

When you moved the last post I created to your Islamic section, your muslim moderators over there deleted comments of some non-muslim contributors and then locked the thread for reasons I cannot fathom (except to guess that the topic is probably uncomfortable to their religious beliefs).

It sounds interesting. I want to read it . . . I just hope the Muslim extremists don't trip like they did in the events you stated above. They should remember than we didn't go over the edge when "The DaVinci Code" came out.

StephenP:

It sounds interesting. I want to read it . . . I just hope the Muslim extremists don't trip like they did in the events you stated above. They should remember than we didn't go over the edge when "The DaVinci Code" came out.

they've already started, at least 2-3 rebuttals have been deleted on this thread since yesterday. I wasnt even going to bother returning to it. I'm sick and tired of muslim intolerance to even things as simple as mere forum posts.

davidylan:

they've already started, at least 2-3 rebuttals have been deleted on this thread since yesterday. I wasnt even going to bother returning to it. I'm sick and tired of muslim intolerance to even things as simple as mere forum posts.

Damn! Seriously? What the hell happened to freedom of speech? If they are sure in their belief, does it matter what anybody says? Again, what about DaVinci Code and everything they said about Jesus? That still don't make me angry because I choose what I want to believe and no matter they say about Him and how He had a kid with Mary Magdalene, I'll always know what I believe.

davidylan:

they've already started, at least 2-3 rebuttals have been deleted on this thread since yesterday. I wasnt even going to bother returning to it. I'm sick and tired of muslim intolerance to even things as simple as mere forum posts.

I know. Here I was thinking that moderators are supposed to be impartial. Obvious issues like these that Seun should deal with are left unattended. None of the responses I saw posted yesterday were inappropriate or rude, but because they did not advance the view of a small section, they were deleted and the topic locked. I would like to know the justification for locking the thread. This is a topic that has been keenly debated in the literary industry by intellectuals over the past month and some uninformed moderator sees it fit to just lock the thread. If the topic was a "My Cock is bigger than yours" topic, it would still be there. I did not see anyone lock any of the Davinci Code topics. It's about time the hypocrisy stopped. I am upset to say the least.

SMC:

I know. Here I was thinking that moderators are supposed to be impartial. Obvious issues like these that Seun should deal with are left unattended. None of the responses I saw posted yesterday were inappropriate or rude, but because they did not advance the view of a small section, they were deleted and the topic locked. I would like to know the justification for locking the thread. This is a topic that has been keenly debated in the literary industry by intellectuals over the past month and some uninformed moderator sees it fit to just lock the thread. If the topic was a "My Cock is bigger than yours" topic, it would still be there. I did not see anyone lock any of the Davinci Code topics. It's about time the hypocrisy stopped. I am upset to say the least.

Sexuality explicit topics with pictures litter the sexuality forum, unmoderated, unlocked. Topics openly mocking Christ like "preaching in the bus" find their way to the front page of the forum . . .

you're not the only one sick of the distasteful hypocrisy that passes for "respect" these days.

is Seun an Atheist, a Christian or a MUSLIM?

yicob:

is Seun an Atheist, a Christian or a MUSLIM?

whether atheist,christian,agnostic or muslim, cant really blame the guy for putting his own personal safety first. everyone comes here to post anonymously on the forum while the guy's more or less a public figure, a sitting duck for all these suicidal extremists to pick off at their leisure.

Again, my thread has been demoted by Seun to the Islamic thread. I am just sick and tired of all these double standards. Why weren't all the Davinci Code threads on the literature section moved to the religion section?

This section clearly states "Islam for Muslims". This is not a muslim thread. I did not write it exclusively for the muslims and I sure as friggin hell do not want it in the muslim section especially after the intolerance shown by the biased muslim moderators.

I created this thread for an intellectual discourse among people broadminded enough to participate in the issues raised, so whoever is in charge should kindly move it back to the bloody literature section where it belongs (and was originally posted).

welcome to the land of "impartial moderators"
no one needs to wait for a book to know about the child bride.
just google Mohammed and his child bride and you'll read authentic hadiths from the mouth of the same bride who tells us how old she was and how allah's prophet got his best revelations while they were under the sheets.
Thank God for the www

the book is only been postponed

Okay, I see I may have shot my mouth off too soon. Seun, my sincerest apologies. I understand and. . . thanks for everything.

Didn't get a notice that it was moved not deleted.

Question - WHY IS THIS THREAD ON THIS SECTION??!! This is not about religion, it is about censoring a literary work, can we please move it back to where it belongs? Not many of us come to this section and it defeats the purpose of having a discourse about it.

Thanks.

Sisikill:

Okay, I see I may have shot my mouth off too soon. Seun, my sincerest apologies. I understand and. . . thanks for everything.

Didn't get a notice that it was moved not deleted.

Question - WHY IS THIS THREAD ON THIS SECTION??!! This is not about religion, it is about censoring a literary work, can we please move it back to where it belongs? Not many of us come to this section and it defeats the purpose of having a discourse about it.

Thanks.

O ma su mi ke.

This is the 2nd time the thread has been moved. I have seldom (if ever) visited the Islamic section and it raises my gore that I am being FORCED here when I do not belong in this section. I am waiting for the overzealous moderators to once again start censoring and locking the topic.

you may also get banned for posting on the Islamic section.
They move your thread there in order to kill the thread.
Oldest trick in the books

Honestly, I am not looking for trouble, not that I don't but not when it comes to religion but we need to be fair or at least pretend to be fair in the manner things are done. So it is with a humble and gentle heart I ask the moderator to please, please move this back to where it really belongs.

After complaining bitterly about double standards, the most recent Davinci thread was moved to the Religion section, so I guess this one will be staying here. Let's just hope that the moderators respect this thread and let people express their legitimate views without them modifying or censoring their posts.

Dont even bother to think that there is a very remote possiblity of that my friend
i have come to realise that rationality stops where religion starts.

Lol, na today? N' Land is a model after Naija. Think of the double-standards and hypocrisy inna we country, you then get the picture. . .

@Queenisha: I miss you, so am in the mood for jokes. « #10 on: September 02, 2008, 03:04 PM »

welcome to the land of "impartial moderators"
no one needs to wait for a book to know about the child bride.
just google Mohammed and his child bride and you'll read authentic hadiths from the mouth of the same bride who tells us how old she was and how allah's prophet got his best revelations while they were under the sheets.
Thank God for the www

the book is only been postponed

So tell me when was she born, before her father became muslim or after? You are in for a rude awakening! I need to engage you in dialogue on this matter. Let do it. You have been running around in circle for long. Lets go.






@Sisikill: « #11 on: September 02, 2008, 04:53 PM »

Okay, I see I may have shot my mouth off too soon. Seun, my sincerest apologies. I understand and. . . thanks for everything.

Didn't get a notice that it was moved not deleted.

Question - WHY IS THIS THREAD ON THIS SECTION??!! This is not about religion, it is about censoring a literary work, can we please move it back to where it belongs? Not many of us come to this section and it defeats the purpose of having a discourse about it.

Thanks.

Siskill, write a literal article about your own prophet. Choose any. There you can lie. Infact take Paul and I will read all your lies about him. However when you guys crossover to write about Muhammad, my own prophet that you and others do not have a share in his prophethood, by your own choice, then write facts.

Again, I ask Queenisha and maybe you can help her in my question: When was Aisha bint Abu Bakr born? Before her father became a muslim or after? Please give me the year preHijra. Queenisha is hiding behind her own finger on the issue.






@Queenisha: « #13 on: September 02, 2008, 05:31 PM »

you may also get banned for posting on the Islamic section.
They move your thread there in order to kill the thread.
Oldest trick in the books

Only old gizzard can see old, older, oldest trick in this matter. Lol. I bet that talking about Muhammad (as) by Kufar, the non-muslims are really disinterested, and unbiased. I ask you question up there. Provide the answers please.

so so many posts have been deleted on this thread including mine, which was just one line, so alhaji olabowale, do u think theres any objectivity here?the censorship isnt just for offensive statements but also for anyone perceived as non islamic, this sint what i was hoping to see in my islam search, its sad.
why delete all those posts?it smacks of partisanism and disrespect for free speech,
fact is most people on this forum already have their minds made up about what they believe, for those who havent, acts like those of the moderator(s) will only drive them away from islam,its sad.

@olabowale.
Thanks for your response. I ve not been around for a while. Why many posts were deleted?

And the hopeless extremists are at it again. They went and firebombed the home of the UK publisher of the book. It sure shows a religion in glaring light when it cannot be the subject of scrutiny, but instead attempts are always made to silence critics and dissenters through violence. Me, I am waiting for the book to come out because I am definitely going to buy it. People do not realise that the greater the controversy, the higher the sales. Once I get the book and read it, I'll let you guys know.

The Jewel of Medina will now be published in 15 countries "including Italy, Spain, Hungary, Germany, Brazil, Russia, Republic of Macedonia, Denmark, Finland and Poland; as of mid-September [2008], negotiations were ongoing with publishers in Sweden and the Netherlands."

A number of Muslims have reviewed the book, one of whom, although having the opinion that the book is flawed, also says its publication must not be stopped. Another reviewer (a Muslim, no less) has commented that the author portrayed the Prophet quite favourably. And, of course, there's another Muslim who on record cursed the writer. Of the three above, two of the (Muslim) reviewers spoke directly with the author.

The firebombings and outrage will only serve to make this book another bestseller, just like SV; of course, Sir Salman has weighed in, villifying Random House for submitting to intimidation. Censorship does not work. Simple. Let writers do their thing, and let there be discussion. And let those who haven't read the book keep their mouths shut, and/or hold their fingers away from the keyboard if discussing the contents of the book is the issue. As can be seen above, people, Muslims, will come to different conclusions about a book deemed controversial by the loudest and most violent voices claiming to speak for Islam and Muslims.

The author is already working on a sequel; the success of The Jewel of Medina is about completely guaranteed.
.

What have some Muslims said about The Jewel of Medina?

Here:

“The best response to free speech is simply more speech in return. Anyone should have the right to publish whatever they want about Islam or Muslims - even if their views are offensive - without fear of censorship or retribution. Muslims, however, shouldn't be expected to be passive consumers of these views. An offended Muslim has the right - indeed, the responsibility - to vigorously critique anything written about them or their religion, provided they do not cross the line into intimidation and coercion. In an ideal world, both parties would open their minds enough to understand the other point of view.”

– Shahed Amanullah, founding member, AMILA (American Muslims Intent on Learning and Activism; http://www.amila.org/)

"Sherry Jones does an extraordinary service to Islam in popularizing -- and humanizing -- a Muslim heroine. It's the kind of history that I never learned in my mosque or madressa. As a faithful, feminist Muslim, I say 'mashallah' for this riveting novel."

-- Irshad Manji, Director, Moral Courage Project, New York University

The freely available copy of the prologue of The Jewel of Medina is attached.

.

i hereby use this medium to advise all non muslims living in the northern parts or nigeria to be on the lookout for the release date as that date will also double as the date they should pack their stuffs and run!
Knowing the penchant for bloodthirst out there, stay at your own risk!

God help nigeria when the book finally hits the stores.

Reports show the book isn't almost available in the UK; stores aren't placing the books where buyers could find them - that's if they have the book at all. The threats may appear to be working; total sales right now appear to be about 3,000, with 45,000 already shipped abroad. There are serious concerns about the quality of the work (see the Prologue attached in my last post). Clearly, this writer is no Rushdie, and the controversy surrounding the book may not be enough to push its sales. In any case, it'll be sth to get to read the book - if there'll be time; the reviews have been mixed.
.

The intolerance of these islamists is sickening. Thank heavens for George bush and ehud olmert at least their population is being reduced.